Surveyors: housing woe is here to stay July 9, 2012 THE HOUSING market remained depressed in June, as demand stayed low and supply shrunk, according to data published yesterday by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). House prices slumped further, with 22 per cent more respondents reporting drops than upturn. Though London was an exception, prices in the capital still grew at a slower [...]
Impact of immigration on the labour market is exaggerated June 25, 2012 IMMIGRANTS are better-educated than their UK counterparts and less likely to be in social housing, research from the London School of Economics revealed yesterday. The study from the Centre for Economic Performance follows a speech from Labour leader Ed Miliband last week in which he argued that worrying about immigration should inform policy more. The [...]
Moving costs hit a quarter of average income January 26, 2012 ESTATE agents’ fees, mortgage charges and stamp duty have all contributed to a massive jump in the cost of moving house, according to research out today from Lloyds TSB. Since 2001 the average cost of moving has risen by 69 per cent from £5,290 to £8,922, for someone who already owns a home. Agency fees [...]
Factories across world are hit by weak demand September 3, 2012 MANUFACTURING sectors are in decline throughout Europe, while factories in emerging markets are also being hit by the weaker demand from the global economy. A range of purchasing managers’ indices (PMI) released by Markit yesterday showed that manufacturing is still contracting in the vast majority of surveyed nations. Across the Eurozone, manufacturing sank to a [...]
UK economy hit by fresh blows August 1, 2012 THE UK’S recession looks set to deepen even further after manufacturing output fell in July at its fastest rate for more than three years, according to an influential survey published yesterday. It came as fears mounted that the Olympics are failing to deliver the boost that some economists had hoped for – and in fact are [...]
New property adviser sets up in Square Mile June 27, 2012 A new adviser in the residential property sector has set up in the Square Mile. Centrus will provide advice and solutions in treasury, debt capital markets, corporate finance and institutional funding. The Centrus team brings together some of the leading figures in UK housing finance. The company is led by Phil Jenkins who has more [...]
City Moves | Who’s switching Jobs September 10, 2012 Norton Rose Liam O’Connell has been appointed a partner within the law firm’s litigation and dispute resolution practice. He joins from CMS Cameron McKenna, where he was a partner and head of its commercial regulatory and disputes group. O’Connell specialises in insurance policy coverage analysis, and also has business experience in contingency markets and cyber [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS January 31, 2012 BARRATT DEVELOPMENTS Investec has initiated coverage of the UK housing market with a generally positive stance, seeing solid fundamentals supporting the sector. It rates housebuilder Barratt Developments as a “buy” with a target price of 180p. Though the broker expects Barratt to remain the most volatile of the group it also offers the greatest upside, [...]
Sweden turns the page and Scandinavian noir explains why | City A.M. August 28, 2012 EVERYONE knows that Sweden is a social-democratic paradise, where taxes are high, the welfare state is big and everyone enjoys the benefits. That doesn’t mean it’s true. In recent years, research like that compiled in Richard Wilkinson’s and Kate Pickett’s The Spirit Level has painted Sweden and its Scandinavian neighbours as political role models. The [...]
Sweden turns the page and Scandinavian noir explains why | City A.M. August 28, 2012 EVERYONE knows that Sweden is a social-democratic paradise, where taxes are high, the welfare state is big and everyone enjoys the benefits. That doesn’t mean it’s true. In recent years, research like that compiled in Richard Wilkinson’s and Kate Pickett’s The Spirit Level has painted Sweden and its Scandinavian neighbours as political role models. The [...]